A year ago I was introduced to the Rare Grill in Kenilworth, after it was named Best Steakhouse in the country in the Wolftrap Steakhouse Championship, as well as Eat Out Best Steakhouse in the Cape in its Everyday Eateries awards, the latter accolade repeated this year. On Saturday evening I spontaneously popped in at the steakhouse, and found its service and steak to be as good as a year ago, and its desserts even better! (more…)

November is an exciting month, with new restaurant openings by Chef Luke Dale-Roberts (The Commissary), by Chef Peter Tempelhoff (FYN), and the very eagerly awaited restaurant Gåte by Chef Rikku O’Donnchü at Quoin Rock in Stellenbosch. There is a marked slow down in new restaurant openings, other than by new restaurant group Cowboys & Cooks.

Restaurant openings

# Le Petit Manoir has opened as a Deli and Restaurant in Franschhoek, with Chef Kevin Grobler heading up the kitchen. (Photograph)

#. Michael Townsend, founder of the Harbour House Group but no longer with the Group, is to open The Grill Room in Sunset Beach. He has also bought Sevruga in the Waterfront. A third restaurant, in Sea Point, will open in September 2019.

# The new Cowboys & Cooks restaurant group is to open a Cowboys and Cooks restaurant in Stellenbosch; The Backyard BBQ in various locations; Cabron Tex Mex restaurants in Durbanville and Stellenbosch, alongside the Bree Street Branch; and Viva Tex Mex in Kenilworth. It has taken over Slug & Lettuce, a Gastropub franchise with six branches, for which a new look and menu will be developed, starting off in Durbanville. The group has also just bought a 50% share in Primi Piatti, with 18 outlets.

# Maison J Café et Croissant, a joint venture between renowned Jason Bakery baker Jason Lillie and his sister Brigitte, as well as Vida e Caffé founders David Chait and Rui Esteves, has opened alongside the Pick ‘n Pay in Camps Bay, in a joint venture with the retailer. If this branch works well, it is set to roll out in other Pick ‘n Pay stores, the Waterfront likely to be the next branch to open.

# Between Us has opened on Bree Street, as a restaurant and bar, belonging to the twin sisters who originally opened Skinny Legs & All.

#. The Deli Coffee Co is the new rebranded name of four Melissa’s branches: V&A Waterfront, Kloof Street, Somerset West, and Hermanus, owned by Surine van Niekerk. Prices are set to drop, she says. The Waterfront branch has opened in the former Dalliance and White Rabbit space.

# Restaurateur Ian Halfon has opened a smallish intimate new restaurant Walther’s Steakhouse next door to Belthazar in the V&A Waterfront.

# Chef Jenny Morris has opened Yumcious Durbanville.

# The Skotnes Restaurant has opened at the Norval Foundation, with Executive Chef Phil de Villiers, previously of Primal Eatery.

# Paris Café has opened in Green Point.

# 42 on Canterbury has opened as a bar and an event venue in District Six/Zonnebloem

# The La Colombe Group is taking over the bar and restaurant at Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek, after refurbishments. It will be called Protégé. Stephen Raaff is the Head Chef.

# Chef George Jardine has opened Restaurant Seven with George Jardine in Somerset West.

# Safari #7 Somali take-away restaurant has opened on Long Street.

# Chef David Higgs’ newest restaurant Saint ‘Pazzo Italiano’ has opened in Sandton.

# No 89 has opened on Bree Street.

# Sans Ethical Green Grocer Deli has opened in the Artem Centre in Sea Point.

# Pauline’s Stand Up Coffee Bar has opened in the Artem Centre in Sea Point.

# Victoire Boulangerie, Pâtisserie, and Bistro has opened in Speakers Corner on Church Square, a joint venture between Chef William Galzin of Montpellier and Drikus Hancke of Cape Town, a former Melissa’s franchisee.

# Chefs Luke Dale-Roberts and Ryan Cole have opened Salsify @ The Roundhouse in Camps Bay.

# The Commissary will open next door to The Shortmarket Club, with Chef Wesley Randles and Simon Widdison, under the mentorship of Chef Luke Dale-Roberts. It is planned to be a no-reservation, back to basics offering.

# Gåte restaurant is to open at Quion Rock Winery on 1 December, with Rikku O’Donaghue as the Executive Chef, who worked at a two Michelin star restaurant Merchants Manor before moving to our country. He has been a restaurant consultant locally, including at Sevruga. Head Chef is Warwick King, previously with Delaire Graff, The Stack, and The Ritz Revolving Restaurant. Other team members include Pastry Chef Izelle de Villiers, Nicole Loubser, Tyrone Truter, Josh Crewdson, and Rufus Scholtz.

# Seattle Coffee Company has taken over the coffee shop at Exclusive Books in the V&A Waterfront.

# Chef Seelan Sundoo has opened Chicha in Sea Point.

# The Harbour House Group has bought Mondiall in the V&A Waterfront, and is to turn it into a La Parada, to open in November.

# Chef Peter Tempelhoff has announced that his FYN Restaurant and bar will open in Speaker’s Corner on Church Square in November. Jennifer Hugé is the new GM! And Ashley Moss is the Chef, moving across from the Greenhouse.

#. The Harbour House at Constantia Nek has been remodelled into the fine dining The Restaurant at the Nek, with Chef Dylan Laity in the kitchen.

# Stargarden Bistro has opened in Fish Hoek

# Bobo’s Brasserie is opening in Mouille Point in November, where Pepenero used to be.

# Roca Café has opened where Melissa’s used to be in Franschhoek, open from midday to 21h00, and serving Tapas.

# Chef Chris Erasmus is said to be opening a restaurant at Haut Espoir in November, with Chef Nick Oosthuizen in the kitchen.

# Riverine Rabbit has opened where ASH used to operate, by Chef Ash Heeger.

# Chef Ciska Rossouw has opened Loaves in Salt River, no longer operating Loaves on Long.

# BOCCA has re-opened on Bree Street, with new owners Guido Brambilla and Adnana Blaj

# Haus & Laib Deli is opening in the former Eurohaus space on Loop Street.

# Chef Matt Manning is opening Grub & Vine Restaurant on Bree Street.

# Bones Kitchen & Bar has opened at Palms Lifestyle Centre.

# Anni’s Gourmet Pancakes & Belgian Waffles has opened in a Franschhoek

# Vadas Smokehouse and Bakery has opened at Spier, taking the place of Hoghouse, which Chef PJ Vadas no longer appears to be associated with.

Restaurant closures

#. The iconic Melissa’s, with 19 stores, has been declared insolvent. Some stores will be rebranded (four as The Deli Coffee Co), while others have closed down, including the Table View Branch. The Waterfront branch is currently closed, but will reopen in a new location in mid-September.

#. Dalliance restaurant and White Rabbit coffee shop, part of the Kove Collection, have closed their doors in the V&A Waterfront.

#. IYO Burgers has closed on Bree Street

#. Iconic Kitima has closed down in Hout Bay, following a rumour of its demise circulating last year but denied at the time.

#. Odyssey (with French Toast before it) has closed down on Bree Street

#. The Ritz is temporarily closed, and with it its Top of The Ritz and CASA restaurants.

# Shego has closed down at the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel.

# The Crazy Horse gastropub has closed down on Bree Street.

# Mitico has closed down on Kloof Street. Yours Truly has expanded into the space.

# So sad to hear that Chef Warrick Taylor of SOURCE restaurant in Hermanus has sold the restaurant and is leaving the country with his family.

# Cargills in Rondebosch has closed down.

# Savoy Cabbage in Heritage Square in the city centre has closed down, after 20 years.

# Eurohaus on Loop Street has closed down

# Karoux has closed down in McGregor.

# Olami on Bree Street has closed down.

# BlackandCo has closed down in Constantia.

# Chalk & Cork has closed down.

# Bukhara has closed down in Stellenbosch.

# Loaves on Long has closed.

# ASH restaurant has closed.

Chef changes

#. Chef Sidwell Yarrow has left La Petite Ferme, to return to the cruise ships. The restaurant on the wine estate is now headed up by Chef Kyle Norris.

#. Chef Gerard van Staden is the new chef at Pearl Valley.

# Chef Gary Welgemoed is the Head Chef at the Carrol Boyes Chocolate division.

# Lee-Andra Govender is the new Pastry Chef at The Table Bay Hotel.

# Chef Evan Coosner has left Open Door/Bocca/Burrata.

# Chef Archie MacLean has left Catharina’s and moved to Coco Safar. He has since left Coco Safar, and is said to have joined La Petite Ferme in Franschhoek.

# Chef Guy Clark has left Tintswalo, now consulting.

# Carmen Rueda is the new Pastry Chef of Coco Safar, formerly from El Bulli and The Fat Duck.

# Chef Richard Carstens has left Tokara Restaurant, and is said to be starting a restaurant consultancy with Chef Reuben Riffel.

# Carolize Coetzee has been appointed as Executive Chef at Tokara, moving from Dornier wine estate.

# Chef Archie MacLean has left Coco Safar, and is running Café Bon Bon in Franschhoek with his wife

# Christian Hellinger is the new Chef at Holden Manz

Restaurant changes

# La Parada Camps Bay is undergoing renovations, and is transforming into a Tiger’s Milk.

Please share news about restaurant openings and closures with me at chrisvonulmenstein@gmail.com

I have had the privilege of being briefed on the updated plans for the restaurant brands of the recently created Cowboys and Cooks hospitality and restaurant operations and consultancy group, to initially consist of 18 restaurants. (more…)

Every winter is a tough time for the restaurant industry. With the dip in Tourism due to the water shortage, and the early and continued winter rains, the restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands have felt the pinch, and many have closed down. We have experienced our first Summer weekend in the Cape, and more tourists can be seen and heard in our city. Will this mean a welcome boost for the restaurant trade? The new Cowboys & Cooks restaurant group is super optimistic, and plans to open more than twenty restaurants in the Cape Town area.

Chef Richard Carstens has left Tokara Restaurant, after an eight year tenure, one of our most creative and hard-working chefs, in researching and implementing international food trends. Chef Richard has not yet announced his future plans, but initially is taking a break. (more…)

For the past two days I have participated in a Blind Tasting of more than 130 white, Rosé, and red wines at the offices of sponsorship specialists Divine Intervention, to select wines which will be incorporated into the winelists for the four restaurant brands of the new Cowboys & Cooks restaurant group, which has been founded by highly respected restaurateur Michael Townsend and his strong support team. (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Nu-Line Elevator Products, the company servicing the lift in the new apartment block in which I live. For the first time since living in the apartment I exited it via the lift, as I do every day, but without taking my car and apartment keys. To get to the basement garage, I press a lift button, but to get back to one’s apartment, one needs to insert the lift key.As soon as I got to the garage, I realized that I had left all my keys in my apartment, but wouldn’t be able to get back into it. I was on my way to see a movie at the Labia, and could see myself spending the night sleeping in my open car in the garage. I called Stuart Bailey who has my spare keys at his home, but he was on the Garden Route. Carel Liebenberg of Constantia Nek had a key to Stuart’s room, so he could find my keys, and very kindly offered to drive them to me.Henry, our Operations Manager, suggested calling Sea Point Locksmiths, to open my apartment side door, but it took them a while to return my call! But the surprise in this drama was Nu-Line, the lift company, which I had contacted on an emergency number, intended for persons stuck in a lift. Llewellyn, the lift technician, arrived ten minutes after my call to that number, and with the luck of the Parisian owner Magali above me being at home, the lift man was able to climb on top of the lift via her apartment, like they do in the Tom Cruise movies, and get it to stop on my floor, jump off, and unlock my side door! This sequence of events was more exciting than the movie itself.

New restaurant openings in Cape Town and the Winelands appear to still be on the slow side. Former JAN Head Chef Kevin Grobler has returned to the Cape. Very sad is the recent tragic passing of Aimee Josten, an important half of the award-winning Karoux restaurant in McGregor. De Volkskombuis has reopened in Stellenbosch after an extensive renovation, while The Big Easy is no longer operating in the town. Eric Bulpitt is the new Executive Chef at Pierneef à La Motte.

We update information about newly opened and closed restaurants continuously, and welcome such news.

Restaurant Openings

# Bootlegger Café & Grill has opened in Constantia in conjunction with Chef Eric Bulpitt, in the former Greens (photograph)

Last night I hosted another ‘SwitchBitch: My journey of transformation from Sour to Sweet!’ Book Launch celebration, at La Parada Constantia Nek. A light drizzle blessed the event, and we called it a Book-wetting, in celebration of our much-needed rain in Cape Town! (more…)

On Friday I took delivery of the printed copies of my first book ‘SwitchBitch: My Journey of Transformation from Sour to Sweet!’, a reprint and edited version of the book I launched in December. Last week ‘SwitchBitch’ was listed on Amazon as an eBook, with encouraging first sales.(more…)

Last week my special friend Stuart Bailey and I ate at Janse & Co, the restaurant on Kloof Street, which Chef Arno Janse van Rensburg opened with his partner Liezl Odendaal two months ago. It reflects perfection in its decor, its service, and its menu, with beautifully presented dishes. (more…)